Accident
by Amindaya
Summary: It was an accident...unforeseen and uncontrollable, yet the only thing I’ve ever wanted and the best occurrence I could have hoped for. Picks up after New Moon. [On hiatus]
1. Miracle

Preface: _It was an accident. That's all it was—simply an accident. Unforeseen and uncontrollable, yet the only thing I've ever wanted and the best occurrence I could have hoped for._

Edward's place at my side was some sort of miracle, one that I could never get over, no matter how much time I spent with him. To think that I would ever grow accustomed to his beauty, to everything that made him who he was...the suggestion was laughable.

Day after day he sat next to me in my classes. That was one thing that didn't change between us, something that Charlie couldn't alter with his punishments.

That, and of course his perfection. I was just as plain as ever in comparison. Except for the one extraordinary, enviable thing about me—that I had him.

I just wanted him forever. And I was very impatient, afraid that the opportunity would slip between my fingers. Who could blame me?

What did change was the ever-constant argument about my transformation. Now that I had set a date with Carlisle, Edward was no longer persistent about the issue of me remaining human. He knew how stubborn I was.

I stopped bringing it up. Though it was inevitable, I knew it brought him pain that I would lose what he thought of as my eternal soul. The only eternity I could imagine was with him.

He pestered me about the marriage, though he merely mentioned the vows and not the other promise. He knew it was the one thing I would never agree to. How to explain it to my mother? My father?

They would most certainly want to be there, though Renee would no doubt argue with me as I stood at the altar.

The altar…I gulped whenever I thought of it. I could just imagine Alice going overboard on the whole affair, treating me once more like the Little Peggy Dress-Up Doll and spending far too much money on a dress that would be far to elegant for me.

All that attention. I knew it would not be a small wedding. Edward would see to it that all of Forks would attend—just to deter me from my goal.

I had many reasons for not marrying Edward, and only one to actually go through with it.

But that single reason was weighted more than any other could be.

I wanted him. I would always want him, and nothing but him. Although he knew that, many times over, it still did not change the fact. I felt like reminding him every second of the day that I was in love with him.

If I was going to be with him forever, I wanted him to be the cause of it. I wanted him to change me. I wanted every aspect of my life to revolve around him. My world revolved around him already, so it only seemed fitting that he should be the one.


	2. Newton

"Look, Bella, you're a really good worker. We could probably offer you a raise if you would just stay," Mike tried. It was his worse argument so far. I was disappointed. Surely he didn't think I could be won over so easily?

"Money's not the issue, believe me."

He took the vest I had been trying to hand him for the past five minutes. There was a defeated look on his face as he looked down at it. "I thought you liked working here."

"I do. I did." I sighed. "But it's just not as important to me as it used to be."

"Why?"

"Well, I have college to think about," I lied. It was sort of true: I was thinking about college, and that I didn't need a job anymore because I didn't need to save money to go there.

He looked sideways, not meeting my eyes. "Have you decided where you're going yet?"

I shook my head. That was a little too intricate for my deceitful abilities. Thank goodness I didn't blush, or that would have given me away. It was so much easier to control my expression, having done it—or _tried_ to, at least, for I knew I never fooled anyone—while Edward was away.

"Don't you even want to give two weeks notice?" he asked as a last ditch effort.

"No." I wouldn't need to put down any references at my next job. Still, I felt a bit guilty…which was why I was quitting on Mike, and not his parents. They had been too nice, giving me this job in the first place. I couldn't look them in the face.

"Well, I—I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow."

I smiled at him briefly, turning to exit the store. My smile was genuine as I caught sight of Edward, looking like Adonis as he sat in the passenger's seat of my ancient red truck. It was hard to believe that someone so beautiful could be older than the rusted chunk of metal in which he sat.

I climbed in the driver's side, holding my breath, not looking at his gorgeous, powerful eyes.

"Well?" he asked.

I exhaled. "I'm free at last." I peeked at his face and saw his smile. But his black eyes were guarded, and I noticed him ease away from me slightly.

I knew the reason for his smile. Edward hadn't enjoyed my news of Mike's renewed attempt during his absence. He'd approved of me quitting the store, especially since that meant more time with me. And he insisted that I didn't need to work, that he would pay for everything I needed. Ridiculous, of course. All I needed was him.

The reason for his caution was just as easy to guess. He voiced my suspicion aloud.

"I'd better get you home. I can't be this thirsty if you're going to breathe."

I laughed at that. Unlike him, I actually needed oxygen.

I started my truck and eased out of the parking space, glancing in the mirror to check if anyone was behind me. It was a parking lot, so I went slowly, and I heard Edward grumbling all the while. I glared at him reproachfully, and his expression lightened.

He leaned closer, his cool fingers brushing along the part of my collarbone that wasn't covered by the neckline of my shirt, pushing the dark blue fabric away until his fingertips touched by shoulder. His eyes moved down my neck. It was only through some hidden superhero-like maneuvering abilities that I didn't run my truck into the light pole of the parking lot.

He pulled away so quickly that my eyes missed the movement. He stared out the window, his fists clenched tightly.

"I wish I didn't have to leave you, even to go hunting."

I understood his pain. This would be the first time he would leave me for any prolonged length of time. He was going further south than he had been—the population of deer in the nearby park was getting dangerously low.

"It's just one night," I tried to reassure him, my eyes safely on the road. It didn't work, of course, because I couldn't even reassure myself. I didn't know how I would be able to sleep tonight. I hadn't gone to an empty bed since our return from Italy.

"One night is all Victoria would need." I glanced at him to see him looking out the window, so he didn't see me shiver with fear. "I think I'll send Alice over to keep you company."

What a relief. I had planned on asking him that anyway.

I turned on to my street, already feeling anxious at the thought of him stepping out of the truck, and out of my life for a whole night.

I parked in my driveway. He leaned over, putting his beautiful face to my neck and inhaling deeply. He kissed my temple lightly, as careful as always.

"Be safe," he breathed. The sweet scent disoriented me—I couldn't respond. He opened and closed the car door so swiftly that he was out of sight before my brain registered what had happened.

I sighed, opening my car door at a bumbling human pace. I was still dazed by his delicious scent, yet I still managed to get all the way to the front door, past Charlie, and up to my room without falling or otherwise injuring myself. Edward would have been proud.


	3. Lies

_(Disclaimer: Don't sue me, Anne Rice, for mentioning your name; or J.K. Rowling for mentioning your work. And, hey, while I'm at it…I don't think I've disclaimed this entire story yet, so, ahem: I do not own any part whatsoever of Twilight. Sob.)_

I sat the paper plate on the coffee table in front of Charlie. He tore his eyes away from the television screen just long enough to see what it was. "Pizza? I didn't hear the door."

I smiled. "It's not delivery. It's DiGiorno's."

"Did you buy DiGiorno's just so you could say that?"

I nodded, sitting next to him on the couch with my own paper plate. Some important game or another was on. His eyes quickly returned to the screen.

There was a knock on the door. "Can you get that, Bells?" he said distractedly.

I sat my paper plate on the coffee table and made my way to the front door. When I opened it, I almost stopped breathing.

"Bella, I would be ever so grateful if you would kindly come outside to chat with me for just a moment," Rosalie said to me, her smile brilliant. I was stunned into silence. She was not the vampire I had expected to see.

I looked uncertainly toward the living room, where Charlie was sitting, watching television, possibly straining his ears to hear who was at the door.

"Dad, Edward's sister is here. I'm stepping outside to talk to her for a minute," I yelled.

"Alice?" he asked. I could hear the sudden interest in his voice—Charlie adored Alice.

"No, Rosalie." I closed the door without waiting for an answer, trying not to feel nervous that Rosalie had come and not Alice.

"Is Edward all right?" I asked immediately. Rosalie didn't answer for a moment. Her golden eyes searched the woods to the side of Charlie's house, the woods I had once gotten lost in.

"Rosalie," I pressed. Her eyes flicked back to my face.

"He's doing just fine, Bella. Not to worry."

My eyes dropped to the ground. Every time I looked at Rosalie, I was reminded just how unremarkable my appearance was compared to all the other Cullens. "Well…then…Edward said he would send Alice?"

"Alice couldn't make it."

I was instantly nervous again. "Why not?"

Her voice dropped very low, her golden eyes honest. "It seems as though Edward has been forgetting himself as of late. He momentarily let it slip his mind that Alice has not fed in a while."

My sigh of relief made her flinch. Her nose wrinkled, and she took a small step back from me. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to—"

She raised a hand to stop me. "You don't need to apologize, Bella. I am quite capable of controlling myself." But she frowned as she said it.

I almost sighed again, but stopped myself, and said, "It's all right, Rosalie. You don't need to stay here. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"It's too dangerous. I might not have thought so before, but if anything happened to you…" she trailed off, reminding me that she was the one to start the whole Volterra mess. Still, it was unfair to her that she had to baby-sit me. I was enough trouble to the Cullens as it was. I watched as a sudden light came to Rosalie. "I know! Carlisle has a day off today. The doctors forced him to come home to take a break. He's been there all night. He came home just after Edward and the others left. I'm sure he would have no trouble at all with…." She trailed off once more.

But I smiled. "That sounds wonderful!" I revered Dr. Cullen greatly. He'd helped to save my life on at least two occasions that I could remember. "I just need Charlie's permission first."

"Won't that be difficult to obtain?"

I grinned. "I think I might be able to figure something out."

I climbed out of Rosalie's bright red convertible and found myself staring at the Cullen's beautiful, out-of-the-way home by the river. Like always, the sight made my breath hitch in my chest.

The inside was just as gorgeous; I was reminded as I stepped inside, seeing the pure white walls, the pale colors that seemed so opposite to what one would expect to find in a vampire's home.

"You know the way to Carlisle's study, correct?" she asked, obviously eager tog et away from me. I nodded, starting up the wide staircase to the second floor. I lost track of Rosalie after that, focusing instead on making sure I didn't lose my balance and fall down the stairs. There was a doctor in the house, yes, but that didn't mean I had a reason to be careless—Rosalie would smell my blood. The whole reason for this was to make it easier on her.

"Carlisle?" I knocked softly on his door, though he had doubtlessly already heard me coming.

"Come in, Bella," his merry voice called. I opened the door to find him sitting in his leather rolling chair, a large tome spread across the desk in front of him. I immediately felt like I was arriving at a college interview: one on television, where the dean was absurdly handsome.

"Rosalie decided to bring you here for me to look after?" he said in amusement.

I laughed. "Something like that." I cautiously came forward to sit in the chair across from him. I was hesitant not because I thought Carlisle was dangerous—he had complete self-control when it came to the desire for blood—but because I felt out of place in the large study filled with bookshelves.

"Has your father given you back your freedom?"

I parroted my previous response, laughing again. "Something like that." He waited with interest, and I felt my face heat up. "I…well, I sort of lied."

"Sort of?"

"Well…very."

He smiled, waiting patiently for me to continue.

"Well, I quit my job at the Newton's store, and I just…forgot to mention it to Charlie." And then I had just forgotten to mention that I was really going to the Cullens when I said I was going to work at the store. My face was hot with embarrassment.

Carlisle closed the book on his desk with a soft thud. "Bella, I'm surprised. You don't strike me as one to trick anyone."

"I might as well start now," I mumbled. He leaned back in his chair, fingers forming a little steeple under his chin as he regarded me.

"I see." And he did see, as I knew he would.

"Carlisle, was it difficult for you…when you had to give up your family…your life?" I asked in a small voice. "Was hard to just walk away?"

His golden eyes were soft. "I'm not going to lie to you, Bella, it was very painful. Becoming a vampire is overall a very painful process." He sighed, the exhalation bringing with it a very faint but delicious scent—one of the lures of the vampires, which they used to attract their prey.

"I think it's worth it, though," I said, more confident. He smiled at me.

"I suppose it is, if you have someone to share it with."

My sentiments exactly.

He rose to his feet, lifting the heavy-looking book as if it weighed no more than a feather. To him, it probably didn't.

He carried it to the nearest bookshelf, sliding it into the empty slot on the third shelf from the bottom. I saw the title _Lycanthropic Proof in Modern Genetics_ before Carlisle turned to me, blocking my view.

"Bella? Did you tell Charlie that you would be working the night shift at Newton's?"

I faltered. "No. There's really no need to keep the store open all night. I told him I'd be home at midnight." I could see the flaw in my plan, now. Rosalie would have to forfeit her night, anyway.

Carlisle smiled. "Perhaps I could pull a few strings. You're right in that deceit has a few advantages when you're a vampire."

I blinked in surprise. "Thank you Carlisle." But I couldn't imagine what he could say that would make Charlie let me stay out all night.

He reached for the phone on his desk. The movement as he brought the receiver to his ear was faster than I could blink. He dialed the numbers, spinning his finger around the little dial—it was a very old-fashioned phone, one that seemed to fit in the elegant study.

"Hello, Charlie? Yes, this is Dr. Carlisle Cullen." He paused for a moment. "Well, my children are out of town on a camping trip and my wife is feeling a bit under the weather."

I had to put my hands to my mouth to stifle a laugh. The Cullens couldn't get sick at all. Carlisle glanced at me, amused by my reaction, but his concentration didn't waver. "I'm afraid I have a shift at the hospital tonight, but I'd like someone to be here in case she needs anything."

I could just imagine Charlie spluttering around, torn between helping a man to whom he owed his daughter's life and the awkwardness of playing nurse, something that Charlie didn't enjoy and had no real experience in.

"Yes, of course, I know you're busy. Perhaps Bella? She seems like a nurturing young soul. I know it's a lot to ask," he cut off, listening. "Oh, no need to do that. I can call her at her work." Another pause. "Yes, and I will pick her up as well, and bring her home in the morning. Thank you Charlie. I know my wife will greatly appreciate this."

He was stopped once more as Charlie spoke. I wish I had the heightened senses of a vampire so that I would know what Charlie was saying.

"I am absolutely positive that Edward isn't here," Carlisle said reassuringly into the phone. I frowned at the suggestion, as he had already told Charlie that all of his children were gone. But I figured the question must have been voiced as a mistrust of me, which I admittedly deserved.

"Thank you again, Charlie. Have a nice night," Carlisle said, hanging up the phone and looking at me. "You're free. Edward should be back by first light. Would you like me to pull a bed into his room for you?"

I laughed at the image of Carlisle dragging a full-size bed, complete with mattress and pillows and comforters, into Edward's room with one hand. It would be all too easy for him.

"No thank you," I said. "I like Edward's couch." I rose from the chair, intent that Carlisle shouldn't feel the need to entertain me for the remainder of the night. "Thanks a lot, Carlisle."

"Sleep well, Bella," he said, turning once more to the bookcase as I let myself out and closed the door softly behind me.

It was still at least an hour before I would even be able to try to fall asleep, so I decided to busy myself looking at Edward's extensive music collection. I just hoped I wouldn't break anything.

Edward's room was much like Carlisle's study in that it had a library. But instead of scientific books, his shelves were filled with row after row of CDs. As I settled down on the floor, starting to read the titles of the CDs, I wondered what my room would contain once I became a vampire. Not music, or scientific books.

I smiled. Probably nothing but romance novels like Jane Austen, or classics like Shakespeare. Maybe I would branch out as a vampire. Say, to Dostoyevsky. I doubted that even as an immortal I would enjoy the modern prose of Harry Potter. Or the work of Anne Rice. I snickered at the thought and went back to scanning the names of the musicians before me.

AN: Please tell me what you think. I appreciate it SO much, as I like to know how my writing is perceived. I plan to become an author someday. Thank you for reading as far as you did!


	4. Wedding

AN: Hello everyone. To everyone who reviewed and said my writing is similar to Stephenie Meyer's: I just want to say thank you. I am incredibly honored. She is my all-time favorite author.

In this chapter you find out what the accident is. I just hope you don't stop reading once you find that out, because there's still aftermath to describe.

To those who wonder why it took so long to update…. The document thing wouldn't let me upload the file! Can you believe that?! It said it was an error, and referred me to a helper thing. And let me tell you: that little helper thing that the page suggested was not helpful at _all._

XXXXXX

I stood at the altar, holding a bouquet of flowers to my chest, clutching them tightly in my nervousness. The sun filtered through the lace covering the latticework. It warmed my face, though the warmth on my cheeks was possibly just a blush about to form.

There was something not quite right about this. The smell…too bitter, too resinous. Yet I didn't know why the sun should bother me so much.

I turned to look down the aisle as soft music began to play. I recognized it as the lullaby Edward had created for me.

Wasn't the groom supposed to wait at the altar while the bride marched behind the flower girl? I shoved the thought from my mind as I watched a stunning Alice appear in sight, holding a basket of rose petals. Rosalie followed behind her, looking like a life-like flower in the bright red bridesmaids dress. Alice gave me an encouraging little smile, but my only reaction was to grin like an idiot.

This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, after all.

Jasper and Emmett were next, intimidating in their tuxedos. They each held a pillow with a ring upon it, since Edward hadn't been able to decide between his two brothers for ring bearer.

I held my breath as the music changed, slowed into an unbearably sweet melody—my favorite part, the part that had caused tears to form in my eyes when I first heard it.

That's when Edward make his appearance. He wore white, just as I did. The color perfectly matched his snowy skin. He was escorted by Esme to one side and Carlisle to the other. My heart broke as I watched him, so blissfully happy was I as he looked at me. I felt that wide grin on my face again.

But as he took a step down the aisle, his smile changed into a frown. I searched his eyes, my expression questioning, but his mouth only set into a straight, firm line. I recognized that look: it was the murderously angry glare that he'd given me that first day in biology.

"Edward?" I asked. My voice sounded hurt even to my own ears.

He shrugged off Carlisle and Esme. As he came closer, I noticed that the pews to either side of the aisle were completely empty.

There was no time to focus on that: Edward was in front of me now, the sunlight dancing off his skin in rainbow-colored facets. His arms circled my waist, pulling me close so much more forcefully than he usually did.

I looked into his eyes, but they were golden. He wasn't hungry.

"Edward?" I asked, my voice a whisper.

"Bella." His voice was tense. His eyes were so furious. I was crushed…what had I done?

I put up a hand to brush a lock of hair away from his face, and I gasped when I saw my skin. It was crystalline, shining like a diamond in the sunlight.

I screamed.

"Bella," he said anxiously, holding me tighter. I realized he didn't need to be careful. I wasn't as fragile as glass anymore, now that I was a vampire.

Rosalie and Alice came toward me, wondering what was wrong, wondering why I was terrified, why I couldn't stop screaming. Their vivid dresses blended into a blotch of color staining my vision. All I could see was red. It now seemed ridiculously obvious that their dresses were covered in blood.

"Bella!" He was angry that I was a vampire, I could see that now. I felt the tears in my eyes spill over onto my cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," I sobbed. I shut my eyes tightly to stop the tears…to will my mistake away. I wanted to be human again for him.

"Bella, wake up!"

I opened my eyes. His beautiful face was twisted in pain. I couldn't bear it.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered.

His expression softened. With one hand, he gently wiped my tears from my cheeks. I became aware that I was in his arms, wrapped tightly in his stone grasp. The object in my grasp that I had mistaken for a bouquet of flowers was actually a CD case. It lay on the floor of Edward's bedroom, smashed to pieces under his foot.

"Edward, I…"

He placed a finger to my lips. He looked at me for a long moment before burying his face in my neck.

"I was having a nightmare," I said in wonder.

He chuckled. "Yes, I noticed that." His musical voice was muffled, but I could feel his lips moving against my neck and that was more than enough compensation for the loss.

"Edward, I dreamed that I was a vampire." He sensed the seriousness in my voice and pulled back to look at me. "And that we were getting married. You were so angry."

"Is that why you were screaming?"

My brow furrowed in confusion. How to tell him what I had felt in the dream. That oppressing feeling when he held me, like I was being crushed….

"No. I think…I don't think you loved me anymore," I said in disbelief.

He made a sound like he was choking.

"Because I was a vampire," I clarified.

"I will always love you, Bella, even as a vampire."

I smiled at him, because I knew he was sincere about that. His every word rang true. "It was just a dream." I chuckled. "But all the same, Rosalie and Alice aren't allowed to wear red bridesmaid dresses at our wedding."

"Have you decided…?"

I laughed. "No, I just mean as a future reference. I still don't plan on getting married soon." If anything, the dream made me want to wait even longer. I recalled the empty pews. Charlie and Renee had both been absent. It was just the Cullen clan. What was my subconscious trying to tell me? Did I want them there?

No. There were no hidden messages. Otherwise I would not have dreamt of bright Arizona sunlight or the smell of creosote. I knew that I was content in Forks. I had grown accustomed to the rainy weather and cloudy skies.

"Did you enjoy your hunt?"

He grinned the crooked smile that made my heart melt. "Trying to change the subject?"

I nodded.

He pulled me into a more comfortable position, shifting my weight onto his lap as he sat on the couch, though he still held me close to him. My head rested against his chest. This was the one place in the world where I would ever feel this happy: in his arms.

"Well, Emmett had a particularly good time." He laughed lightly at some unknown joke.

"And you?"

He kissed my temple. His cold lips sent a shiver down my spine. "I was a little distracted with other thoughts."

I shifted my head so that I could look up at him, smiling. He leaned forward to press his smooth marble lips against mine.

Like most times that Edward kissed me, I couldn't stop myself from encircling his necks with my arms, trying to pull him closer—though of course I couldn't move stone.

He froze while I fought for control of myself, but his eyes were such a light tawny color that he didn't seem bothered by it. I pulled away, the heat in my skin burning me.

"We should get you home before Charlie has a heart attack," Edward suggested, smiling at me. I nodded, breathless. He stood and placed me on my feet as if I were a small child or a doll.

We got barely two steps before he turned to wrap his arms around my waist, pulling me closer and kissing me again. This playful mood so unexpected, my feet kept walking although my torso was stuck in Edward's strong grip. I stepped on a piece of the broken CD case, the sharpness making me utter a surprised "Oof," against Edward's mouth.

Edward found the sound so funny that he smiled. But my mouth was still pressed firmly against his, and as his lips parted to reveal his stunning smile, my bottom lip just barely scraped against the edge of one tooth.

His teeth were so razor-sharp that the small touch split my lip open.

"Oww! I cried, my hands coming up to my mouth. Edward frowned, not yet realizing what had happened. But with his next inhale he smelled the blood. His eyes widened, and he pushed away from me.

"Edward!" I wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault, and that I understood the blood was too much for him, but all thoughts vanished from my head as I felt a sharp pain in my lip.

I applied pressure to the small wound, hoping to relieve the pain, but it didn't work. The pain only intensified. I looked at Edward, whimpering as my eyes asked him what was going on. My eyes rolled into my skull as the burning in my lip sent another jolt of pain through my body.

I remembered this feeling, this pain. I remembered my hand on fire as I begged for Edward to stop it. I knew what was happening.

And that's when I started screaming.

XXXXXX

Hmmm…. Well…. I think this is a good place to end this chapter. Cracks knuckles and nods exuberantly. Yep yep!

Disappointed to learn what the accident is? I just thought: all the hubbub, all the decisions…what if there was no choice in the matter, if nobody had any sort of control over it…if it was simply an accident?

In the next chapter, you get the pain of transformation, in all kinds of detail…which is why the story is labeled as partially horror…because it will be _very _painful. Please review and tell me what you think. Doesn't have to be anything big. I'd appreciate it just to know how many people check it out.


	5. Death

Warning: Prepare yourself. Deep breath. Okay, let's get started.

XXXXXX

"Bella?" Edward asked me, panicked. He seemed as if he wanted to ask what was wrong, but he already knew. I could see the horror etched across his perfect features. My hands squeezed my bottom lip. I don't know why. Maybe I was hoping to stop the blood flow, but I didn't put that much thought behind the action. I needed to do _something, _and putting pressure on the wound was all I could do. That, and stare at Edward.

He came forward, conflict raging in his eyes. I knew what he wanted to do—suck the poison out, just like he had when James had bitten me. I knew he would be able to…he had fed recently enough.

I held out a hand to stop him, though, thoughts racing through my mind. Did I want this? So suddenly? More importantly, would I ever be able to do it again if it wasn't now?

How could I look at this objectively—how could I even _think,_ when all I wanted to do was scream?

"Bella!" His voice was so pained, and it hurt so bad, that I wanted it to stop right there. I wasn't brave enough for this.

I tried to speak, but the burning made me lose all sense of my mouth. In fact, I had no mouth, just a spot on my body that was all fire. Somehow I had managed to stop screaming, but inhuman noises issued from my throat.

The venom sent a sudden jolt of pain through my jaw. I knew that my head was being split open. I lost sight of Edward's face as my eyes rolled into the back of my head.

I didn't hit the ground like I expected to. In a daze, I noticed that Edward's arms were around me, supporting my body. My limbs jerked spasmodically—my body was acting of its own accord to try to find a release of the pain.

Edward held me to him tightly as the fire spread in white-hot tendrils, moving slowly—ever so slowly—through my mouth.

"I'm sorry. I'm so terribly sorry," he whispered, sobbing without tears.

I wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault. I wanted to tell him anything at all. But I could do nothing. The sounds coming from my throat were the cries of a dying animal, falling short of actual human speech.

And then: a new, different kind of pain. It was Edward, I realized. He had pried my arms from around his waist. He was biting my wrist, tearing my skin open. I couldn't see his face—my vision was white—but I could imagine his expression.

_Edward, what are you doing?_ The tears pricked at my eyes. Silly that the wetness on my cheeks would cut through the pain so clearly…silly that I should notice.

I felt Edward's lips at my neck, and the tears came faster.

"No," I moaned through the curtain of agony. I felt the teeth sink into my neck. All the while I writhed, beating at stone with my fists, bruising myself as I struggled against something immovable.

And then I was unable to keep track of anything. The detachment from my body was total. There was nothing but the pain. I didn't even know if Edward was holding me anymore.

I would welcome death.

XXXXXX

I was floating on a cloud of agony, falling through the feathery surface every so often to touch the real world. My eyes saw images not because I wanted them to, but because my eyeballs swiveled unceasingly in their sockets, and my eyelids happened to be open.

I saw faces, but I couldn't place any of them. Simple things such as words were beyond me. Names didn't exist. I didn't exist. There was only the fire in my veins, the leaden thickness forcing its way through my body, shoving its sharp anguish into every cell and every nerve.

I heard voices. They sounded comforting. I vaguely remembered comfort. At least, I could imagine it. It was more believable than painlessness—_that_ was simply a fantasy created by my mind. I knew such a thing didn't exist.

Everything was measured by the pain. At one point, I thought I imagined something in my hand, until I remembered that I didn't have a hand, only fire.

The eternity of my suffering was unbearable. I wanted to die. I wanted someone to kill me—or at least, I would have, if I had thought for a moment that there was an escape from this torture. I knew there wasn't. I was resigned to that fact.

Then, after forever, as a further cruelty—some mockery of the old adage "It can't get any worse"—the pain stopped.

What took its place was not pain. There was no word for what I felt then, or what I didn't feel.

All that I had endured was nothing compared to this. It was a joke that I would have thought it was bad before. It was like comparing the brush of a feather to the penetration of a bullet.

I felt myself dying. At long last.

My heart stopped, and then came blessed relief.

XXXXXX

AN: Whew! Poor Bella! Sorry if the descriptions were redundant. Next chapter will be a bit more exciting, and hopefully longer.

Next chapter, you ask? Well, our sweet heroine (haha, sweet heroin, get it?) is fine and dandy in the next chapter, and adjusting to her new life…or…erm…un-life, I guess. What's her power? You'll just have to wait and see! Next chapter in on Friday, at around three-ish.


	6. Change

I'm incredibly long-winded, so bear with me. We'll get there eventually.

XXXXXX

That feeling...that contented feeling of waking up, wrapped in soft blankets, feeling like the bed was pulling me in and I never wanted to leave...opening my eyes slowly, not yet concious...not even knowing I was awake yet...

I would never have that again.

It was the first thing I noticed after the pain ceased--the lack of need. Things that had previously been so important were unecessary, and I recognized this in one instant, before I even opened my eyes.

No breathing. I no longer felt gravity pulling me down, if that made any sense. Moving was so easy, and I could tell this with the tiniest tilt of my head. Thinking had even become something that was effortless. I had always been one to think in ideas and impressions rather than words, but this was different. The sensation of forming the thoughts was altogether lost. My reactions appeared in my head, impossibly fast.

"She's awake." I heard the words almost before they reached my ears, and my eyes snapped open. I closed them immediately.

_No. _

Sounds came to me, unbidden, now that I was focusing on my ears. Impossible that I should hear the sound of the heat circulating throughout the air, impossible that I could smell the synthetic fabric of a blouse--and know immediately what these things were.

"Edward?" My voice was a whisper.

"I'm right here." His voice was also soft, but not as I remembered it. Always beatiful, almost musical, his voice took on new dimensions as I heard it with different ears. It was not merely auditory...I felt his voice. I could feel it move the air, hear the faceted sound waves build on each other.

"Bella," I heard a female say. Alice, I presumed, by the soprano voice that made my skin tremble with sensitivity. "I know everything feels very intense right now. Acclimate yourself for a moment."

I nodded. When I felt ready, which seemed like a long time, I opened my eyes. I wanted to close them again, the same piercing _No_ resounding through my head, but I forced myself to be brave.

The world had changed while I had been changing.

Colors were alive. The most subtle differences between light and dark were glaringly obvious. I did not see the objects that moved, I saw their movement--the path they had taken and the path they would continue on.

And I saw Edward, and he was more breathtaking than ever. Not that I had breath to take, since I didn't need to breathe anymore. How funny--my tendency toward hyperventilation was no longer worrisome.

I was no longer lying on my back, I noted. All it had taken for me to be on my feet was my will to be so. Such ease of movement was startling.

Smiling, I reached for Edward. He pulled back. Not as quickly as he could, but still, he wouldn't let me touch him.

"Not yet. Just get used to everything else before you add another sense in."

I didn't answer, just looking at him. There were so many little things about him that I'd never noticed before. His expressions, once so puzzling, were like glass now. As a vampire, was I now more attuned to nonverbal communication?

I smiled again. A vampire.

"Try to walk," Alice suggested. I noticed that only Alice and Edward were in the room with me, and I turned my attention for the first time to my surroundings. Detail seemed to be the only thing I could focus on: the way the air smelled, and the way it felt on my skin. I knew that I did not recognize this room. It was too small to belong in the Cullen's large mansion, and the colors of the wall were too bright. The walls in the Cullen's house had been light and creamy. Was this why? Because color was so incredibly...colorful? Overwhelming?

I did as Alice asked, moving to the other side of the room as naturally as if I were blinking.

Edward smiled his lopided smile. "I'm glad to see your clumsiness hasn't carried over."

I went to him, wanting him in my arms at once. He didn't pull away this time, and I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"You're not hard," I mumbled in confusion, running my hands over his skin, which was not nearly as stone-like as I remembered it. "And you're not cold."

"I still am" he said. "But you are, too, so it's not noticeable. We're equal in everything, Bella." He laughed, reaching out to stroke my face with his thumb. The feeling was like silk.

I smiled, looking into his black eyes. I could see the depth so clearly. "I love you. Forever."

He surprised me by frowning. "Yes."

"What?" Panic consumed me as I watched the pain in his eyes.

"Bella, I'm so sorry."

"For what?" I demanded.

"This is my fault."

I understood now. "Don't blame yourself."

"I was stupid. I should have been able to control something like that. I should have..."

I put a finger to his lips. "Yes. You're right. How terrible of you to find amusement in something and _smile._" I couldn't make my voice suitably mean, even in a joking manner. He saw the seriousness in my expression, but he still looked guilty. "Edward, I wanted this. It doesn't matter that it happened sooner than we had planned. I would have done it in a heartbeat's notice, anyway."

"Heartbeat..." he mused. He bent his head to press his lips against my throat. It felt heavenly. I felt him smirk against my skin, and I felt more than heard the wonder in his voice. "It's gone."

I sighed, melting into him. "Yes, it is."

Alice had given us some privacy, apparently, because Edward and I were the only two in the room. His kisses started lightly along my collarbone, brushing past the sensitive skin of my throat before continuing across my cheek, to the corner of my mouth.

This time, when he kissed me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him closer, he didn't freeze. Instead, his hands pulled my waist to his body. As I buried my hands in his hair, he slanted his head to kiss me more deeply, and I was lost in his sweetness. The first open-mouthed kiss I had ever shared with him, and it had me immediately dizzy.

He tasted delicious. When I pulled away, I still had that taste in my mouth, and I stared at him with wide eyes. He looked hungry. I was surprised b the fervor of his gaze...even though I was pretty sure I could match it with my own."Do I still smell good?" I wondered.

He pulled me closer. "Yes. Better than ever," he said. I was not a bit embarrassed that I had spoken aloud. My eyes fluttered blissfully, turning toward the ceiling, as he began to kiss my neck. I let my mind and my eyes wander, lost in the sensation.

I caught sight of something over Edward's shoulder, and I gasped.

"What's wrong?" he asked instantly.

I had seen my reflection.

"Is that me?"

He turned to look in the mirror, as if trying to see exactly what I saw. He wrapped his hands around my waist. "Yes."

I had never been fascintated by my appearance: I didn't bother with makeup, and I wasn't one of those girls who looked in the mirror every chance she got. But now I found that I couldn't look away.

My skin, which had always been so pale, was utterly white. I'd always been free from skin problems, but this went beyond good luck in the complexion department--I was unblemished in the way that a statue was. My long brown hair seemed to change the least, but in contrast to my face, it seemed more beautiful somehow.

But it was my eyes that shocked me the most. My dark brown eyes were no longer soft--they were a vivid crimson.

I should have been terrified...I knew that red eyes meant that a vampire drank human blood. But I was entranced. I couldn't believe I could look so _different_, so beautiful, yet still be the same person.

"Are you all right?" Edward asked.

"I'm...I look really pretty," I whispered in amazement. I immediately felt horrible--what an egotistical thing to say!

He placed a kiss on my temple. "You've always been beautiful."

I smiled at him, but I still couldn't tear my eyes away from the mirror. "Why are my eyes red?"

"You still have a lot of human blood in you. It will go away as your body uses the blood. It will take about a year."

I gasped, realizing something. "What will Charlie say?" I had forgotten about him. But as I saw Edward frown, I remembered the other thing I had forgot. I knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth.

"I'm sorry, Bella. You can never go back."

"Of course. I know that." Not only because I would look so different, but because I would have even less control than Jasper being around humans. That would come with time...and time was something of which I had an endless amount.

"How are we going to explain this to him? He'll come searching for me." We hadn't prepared for this.

I hadn't even been able to say goodbye...

"It's been three days, Bella. That morning, when Carlisle didn't bring you home, Charlie called. He asked for you, and Alice imitated your voice well enough to fool him. I'm sorry, Bella, but she told him that you were done with living there. She said you couldn't wait another minute, and that you were leaving with me to get married, and that you would never be back. She told him not to look for you."

I nodded. Charlie would believe it. After all the times I had run off and disappeared for days on end. I didn't know if I should be happy about that.

"So...where are we?" I asked, curious. I needed to get away from the subject of Charlie.

He grinned, pulling me closer.

"Denali."

XXXXXX

I didn't tell you what her power was, I know. Next chapter, I _promise_. I think Bella was a bit out of character, but I don't think it's too horrible. The Denali thing might have been a little predictable, but, hey, don't worry, I think I have some good plot twists coming up. I hope you weren't disappointed with this chapter. Review, and keep reading!


	7. Adjustment

**AN: It's 4:30 in the morning, and I'm going to bed now. I have to post this because there's a good chance that this computer won't be here when I wake up, and my mother has forbidden me from using floppy disks because I messed up her hard drive last time and she had to redo her system. So rather than risk losing this file and having to type it up again, I am going to post it right now, without even editing. Sorry if what you read doesn't flow well or is too short. I'm just really tired, and my fingers hurt from typing all day. **

**Thank you for your understanding,**

**Amie**

**XXXXXX**

"Denali?" I asked. "But..."

"It's okay," he murmered soothingly. He caught my hand and pressed it lovingly between his. He looked at it as if it were foreign and fascinating, then turned his remarkable eyes to my face. His voice was soft, utterly adoring, and still tinged with a hint of disbelief. "I love being able to touch you without worrying that I'll break you."

I gasped as he pulled me closer, our training most definitely abandoned for now. He kissed me deeply. Air was not essential for us, and yet I was panting heavily by the time he pulled away.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too." I leaned in for another kiss, enjoying his flavor. "You taste so wonderful," I said aloud. It came out as more of a sigh, adding to my embarrassment. The human blood still left in my veins rushed to my cheeks. I couldn't wait until that little problem disappeared. An upside to being a vampire: Edward couldn't figure me out just from my blood flow, or heartbeat.

"It's the venom." He noticed my puzzlement and elaborated. "We don't have human body fluids. We don't even have blood of our own, except at first. So instead of saliva, we have venom coating our mouths."

My eyes widened. So that was why my own mouth tasted so different to me. I had just assumed it was because my sense of taste had been altered in the same way my other senses had. I never imagined it would be an entirely different substance.

But very fortunate, I added as an afterthought. With such sharp teeth, it sure would be cumbersome to use a toothbrush.

We interrupted as Carlisle entered the room with his usual fluid grace--still impressive to me, even with my improved eyesight. He seemed surprised to see me, though he must have known I was up by now.

"Bella." He paused in the doorway, looking taken aback.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I stepped forward anxiously.

He held up a hand to stop my advance, but he was still speechless. I glanced at Edward for some clue, wishing for the millionth time that I had his ability. He was looking at me. I could see that he knew the reason behind Carlisle's shock.

"Alice told you in advance?" Carlisle guessed. Edward nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Edward, tell me what's going on," I demanded, but my voice was quiet, not properly forceful. I felt strangely lost. The feeling only disappeared when Edward took my hand in his and pulled me against his chest.

"Alice told me what would happen when you woke, so I was prepared for it. The two of us sat with you the whole time, held your hand occasionally, sang to you. We tried to offer as much support as we could. The others worked very hard on getting us all out of Forks. There was no time, really, to tell them what to expect."

"It's amazing," Carlisle said. I turned my full attention to him. He came forward, an entranced look on his face. I had never seen Carlisle so...gleeful. He looked positively awed.

"What is it?"

"We all knew you were special, Bella. Aro was right when he said you had great potential as a vampire."

I flinched at the name. I didn't want to be reminded of that.

Carlisle smiled at my reaction. "You remember Aro? Most vampires forget almost everything about being human. You've led an eventful past year, and it wouldn't seem so dull in comparison to actually being a vampire, but you shouldn't be able to..." He trailed off in amazement.

"Carlisle, can I have a moment with Bella?" Edward asked respectfully.

Carlisle snapped out of his trance. "Oh, yes. Of course." He exited the room, still looking back at me, as if he couldn't quite believe his eyes. Though we all knew his eyes weren't deceiving him, because vampires had darn good vision.

"Edward?" I queried, thinking that if I didn't get a straight answer soon I would just spit. Or...expel venom...spit venom...venomate...I quickly unboarded that train of thought.

"Bella, you're so...you're instantly a vampire. Just like when you were human, you adjust so easily. You take everything so calmly. It's unnatural. It took me nearly a week to be anywhere near where you are now. You don't move like a human at all."

"I didn't even move very good as a human when I was human," I grumbled. "I've always felt ill-suited to being human. This is what feels natural."

He laughed. It still amazed me how he could banish all my tension with a look, and make the world more beautiful with a laugh or a smile. "I mean that you move so much like a vampire...and so soon!" His face became somber as his eyes roamed across my face, searching for something. "Most importantly, you're not going crazy from wanting the blood."

I frowned. "Why is that bad?"

For a moment, I thought he wasn't going to say anything, if the indecision in his eyes was any indication. I was relieved when he parted his perfect lips. "When I was finished transforming, I wasn't capable of complete sentences, let alone being able to behave as normally as you are now. The concept of drinking blood was the only thing my mind could comprehend. I was ravenous. All of us were like that, Bella--even Carlisle. But not you. Don't you think that's odd?" He spoke so quickly that I wouldn't have been able to keep up as a human. Though his speech was now perfectly understandable, I didn't think I had heard correctly. I looked at him warily, undure.

"This is my gift?"

"I don't know. I don't understand how it's possible, or what human trait of yours might have been magnified."

"I know." We both turned to Alice, who stood in the doorway almost shyly. "It's her acceptance that's been amplified. Bella has always been able to simply accept things as they are. Every time something bad happened, she was easily able to put it behind her. She didn't find the existence of vampires frightening. She was in fact immediately drawn to them. As well as to werewolves, and she seemed to have no trouble with them, either. Creatures such as us...she was attracted to us, but not to other humans. She must have been sensitive to our kind, as I imagine I must have been as a human. Perhaps it's why I drew vampires to me, and why I am so sensitive to their futures now." She looked at me, her eyes unreadable. "Bella is more attuned to our kind now, so attuned that she is able to handle being a vampire ridiculously easy."

I smiled. It wasn't mind-reading, and it wasn't the ability to see the future, but I still felt incredibly lucky. I was glad. Acceptance was always a good gift for anyone-- human, vampire, or werewolf--to have.

**XXXXXX**

**So that's her gift: acceptance. Sorry for those of you who think it's a stupid gift, but I think it fits her. Please review each new chapter? I'd just like to know how many people are still reading. There's no way for me to know unless you keep reviewing. Sorry if it's a burden, but I really would appreciate it.**

**No new fanfic chapters until I finish editing chapter thirteen of _my_ book. Setting goals for myself...hopefully, this will work.**


	8. Introductions

"Are you ready for this?" Edward asked me, a look of concern in his eyes.

Out of habit, I took a deep breath, bringing with it a barage of smells. "Yes." After all, I had been nervous when first meeting the rest of Edward's family, and they turned out to be amazing--well, most of them. Rosalie came around eventually.

All the other vampires introduced to me had been less than pleasant, but I reminded myself that the "vegetarians" had been cordial. It wasn't too unbelievable to expect these vampires to be quite like the Cullens. They had the same diet...they lived around humans...

Well, actually, those were the only similarities I could find at the moment--but I was sure there were more.

I took another deep breath and preceded Edward into the living room, where all the vampires were gathered. I saw familiar, beautiful faces: Carlisle and Esme, standing in the corner, looking anxious; Jasper and Alice on the love seat; and Emmet leaning against the arm of Rosalie's chair.

But there were four other faces that I didn't recognize. Like on that first day I had seen the Cullens over a year ago, I examined these vampires with awe, unable to look away.

On the couch, three women sat very close together, regarding me just as I regarded them. The one on the left looked the most curious, her large eyes accentuated by the honeyed strands of hair that fell across them. There was something about the slenderness of her arms and the wondering in her eyes that made her look the youngest--though I could tell she would be taller than me if she stood.

The woman in the middle, a strawberry blonde with Cupid's bow lips, was very...voluptuous. Embarrassed by the fact that she was nearly falling out of her clothes, I blushed and looked away from her quickly, but not before I noted the black eyes and dark purplish bruises that said she hadn't fed for quite some time.

The other occupant of the couch was different from the other two in that she had a welcoming smile on her face, but her clothing could be too easily compared to that of the woman sitting next to her. Her eyes and her hair were both as black as ink. Her eyes, though, were almond-shaped, giving her an oriental look. She was easily the most beautiful of the three--perhaps even more beautiful than Rosalie, or the dark-haired vampire from Volterra named Heidi.

The last person to grab my attention was the man standing behind the couch. I thought instantly, painfully, of Jake. He had the same glossy black hair, the same undertone of russet underneath the usual vampire pallor. His face wasn't as open as Jake's, and he had the same angular, aristocratic features as the other male vampires in the room, but the resemblance was uncanny.

"Pleasure to meet you, Bella," I heard from behind me. I turned my head to see yet another vampire, one that I had missed. This woman had curly brown hair that fell to her waist in a similar style as mine did. Her full lips spoke in a pleasant alto, and her words had a slight Spanish accent. "My name is Carmen."

"It's nice to meet you, as well." I turned to the others. "It's nice to meet all of you."

The man spoke up. His voice was possibly the deepest I had ever heard. "I am Eleazar. These are Kate, Tanya, and Irina." He gestured to each vampire as he introduced them, coincidentally naming them in same order in which I had noticed them. "You are a welcome guest in our home."

"Thank you."

I followed Carmen's graceful movements as she went to stand next to the male vampire. He wrapped a strong arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. The affectionate, almost possessive look Carmen gave him told me something: that she had thought my examination of her mate's body had been out of interest. Ridiculous, of course--Edward was the only one I would ever want--but it didn't reflect well on me. I didn't want any of these new vampires to see me as a threat.

"She's making me hungry," the redhead in the middle, named Tanya, grumbled. She eyed me suspiciously, but there was a desirous glint in her eyes that surprised me. I had thought that, as a vampire, I no longer had to worry about becoming dinner, but her hungry eyes gave me doubts.

"There's still a lot of blood in your body, Bella," Edward said, understanding my uneasy expression as adeptly as if he had heard my thoughts. "And you smell so delicious."

"Why is she not...affected?" The voice was quiet, almost timid. It came from the small one next to Tanya, the girl Eleazar had pointed out as Kate.

It was Carlisle who answered. "Bella has adapted very quickly to being a vampire. She can move in an effortless way that took me years to get accustomed to, and she doesn't seem to be bothered by the hunger." He paused, sighing. "I honestly can't figure it out. It seems as if there should be at least a small adjustment period. At the very least, she should be thirsting for blood."

"I have an idea," Irina said. She was still smiling, her teeth sparkling in the dim light of the room. "Let's take her hunting."

**XXXXXX**

**Really short, I know. Next one will be a lot longer. **

**Review, pretty please? **

**According to the Twilight Lexicon, those are the actual names of the vampires in Denali. It even says that Carmen and Eleazar are mates, and that Eleazar and Kate are gifted (I'll address that in the next chapter). The rest I just made up. **

**In the next chapter: a bit of a twist...those of you who were dissappointed at Bella's gift, be prepared for a little something extra. **


	9. Hunting

**Something was brought to my attention in a review. Wolbachia said something along the lines of "I would think that vampires would be able to move well when first turning--grace and all." I would just like to explain to you all my thinking on it:**

**Not saying you are, but let's say you're a petite female. If you were suddenly given the body of a large male, having lived with the body of a petite female all of your life, there would be a period of adjustment. Your limbs would be heavier...you would have to walk differently...it would be awkward to move, because everything would be different. You can liken it to having long hair for most of your life and then getting it cut. You run your hands through your hair and are surprised when suddenly your hands touch air. Now imagine you've switched bodies, and the hair thing is happening with your arms, which are suddenly longer, and you keep poking yourself in the eye every time you try to touch your face. You're not used to having so much weight to deal with. You have strong man arms: you have to hug people more gently or you will break them.**

**Now imagine that you haven't _switched_ bodies, exactly, but that your body is still undeniably different than what you're used to. You are unbelievably powerful. Walking, let alone walking with grace, is difficult. You can liken _this_ sensation to going down a staircase without looking, expecting there to be another step where there is none and jarring your foot painfully against the ground. **

**Or, say, you're a human and then suddenly you're a monkey. How the heck are you going to just suddenly know how to get your tail to wrap around branches? Some of it might be instinct, but I bet you're going to fall a couple times before you get it right. **

**Being a vampire is like being a monkey. Hehe. Or like learning how to ride a bike.**

**That's my incredibly long-winded explanation. Please, if there's something you don't understand...anything at all...let me know, and I'll be happy to tell you what I meant by it! **

**-Amie**

**XXXXXX**

"You're going too fast," he chided. I grudgingly slowed my pace, scowling at him. Like usual, he only chuckled at my half-hearted anger.

"I don't see how you can stand it."

"You'll get better at it with practice," he murmered soothingly.

"I don't see why I need to practice. My gift is being able to adjust to vampire life easily, right?" My frustration had put me in one of my rare complaining moods. I crossed my arms and huffed like a child, but Edward only smiled at my antics. Further proof that he was simply perfect. In the eternity that we had ahead of us, would I ever get used to that fact?

"Yes, _vampire_ life. You've adjusted so well that you need to practice being human again. You'll never pass as a human with how quickly you move now. You must always keep yourself in check, slow your movements, keep your voice at a low volume and a slow speed."

I sighed and watched as Edward demonstrated for me once again. I watched his careful movements, which had seemed so normal and graceful when I was human, yet now seemed so agonizingly slow.

"Are you two almost ready to leave?" I heard Tanya call from the other room. Her voice was barely above speaking level, as we could hear every little sound with exceptional clarity.

"Is the tour over?"

"Yes, it just ended."

I sighed. We'd had to postpone our little hunting excursion for the past two hours because there was a guided tour of Denali National Park. It was better to be safe than sorry, the other vampires decided--especially with a new immortal to look after.

I wasn't entirely disappointed that I'd had to wait. The prospect of drinking blood scared me beyond measure. I hadn't had much luck with blood when I was human. The smell alone could make me nauseous and faint. It wasn't comforting that I was seeminglt immune to the thirst that the others claimed was so consuming.

As we all got into our respective vehicles--me riding with Edward, of course, in his Volvo that had been brought all the way from Washington--only one worry pervaded my mind: that I would somehow be unable to drink blood. That same insecurity that caused me to believe I had a glitch in my brain because Edward couldn't read my mind now screamed at me, telling me that something would go horribly wrong on this expedition.

I tried to push it from my mind as best I could, but it nagged at me as we made the drive to the national park. We didn't use the visitors entrance, unsurprisingly. It didn't bother me in the slightest. I no longer had to worry about tripping on exposed roots. And even if I did, nothing could mar my impervious flesh. The inability to be harmed gave me tremendous confidence. I surprised both myself and Edward by taking the lead as we walked through the snowy woods. I wandered along in amazement, seeing everything with new eyes. That which had seemed mundane, like the flat color of evergreen needles, now seemed to sparkle.

"Caribou," Tanya said pointedly after we had walked for quite some time. She pointed to the left of the group we had formed. I suspected they could have found prey sooner, but they had allowed me to sightsee. Tanya was reminding me that others were thirsty, that I was not the only reason they had come here to hunt.

"Bella, Edward, you may take this group. The rest of us will continue onwards until we find more," Eleazar said. Was it just my imagination, or did I see Tanya's eyes flash with anger?

Kate suddenly appeared in my line of vision. She had stayed at the back of the group, utterly silent, but now she said, in a charming, quiet voice, "I want to go with Bella." I smiled at her request, flattered that she wanted to hunt with me.

Irina's harsh "No." was unexpected and shocking. The hurt expression on Kate's face, which I saw before she turned away, was unbearable.

I felt like I was floudering in water, my usual diplomacy of no use to me now. I didn't want Kate's feelings to be hurt, yet it was clear that Irina was very adamant aboue her not coming. "Maybe next time?" I offered to Kate as apology.

"Kate." Irina's voice held a firm tone of warning that confused me. Kate didn't answer--didn't even turn around, in fact. Instead, she stalked off on her graceful feet.

Irina looked after her for a long moment, an unreadable expression on her face. Then she turned to me, and smiled widely, with just as much warmth as she had shown when we were first introduced. "Perhaps I could come along with you two?"

I expected Edward to reject, but I was surprised when he nodded, taking me hand in his and pulling me away from the group. Esme and Alice both gave an encouraging wave before I turned around. Edward and I walked hand and hand through the dense forest, Irina trailing behind us silently. I thought I could detect a hint of something in the air...something that smelled of rust and salt.

"So this is what hunting is like?" I asked Edward. "I thought it would be more animalistic, somehow." I recalled one of our early conversations, where he had been appalled when I asked him if I would ever get to see him hunt. He had made it sound as if he behaved like a wild beast while he hunted. Instead, we were walking along calmly, following a scent as if we were in a scavenger hunt.

"You'll see soon enough." His voice became very somber. "Just remember, Bella, that I'm right here for you."

I gulped. "Is it really that bad?"

He didn't look like he was going to answer. There were so many things that Edward debated telling me sometimes. He thought I was fragile--but not anymore. "It's different," he said. His delicate assessment caused me to laugh.

"Well, I suppose I'll see soon enough."

"Very soon, actually," Irina said, surprising me--I had forgotten she was there. She pointed ahead and I could see a faint flash of light brown in the distance, between the branches of a tree. Against the white background of the snow, the color stood out.

I sniffed. The smell was much stronger now.

He turned to glance anxiously at me. "Are you ready for this?"

I managed a nod, swallowing and noticing that my mouth was dry. Hmmm, so that happened even with venom...

Then I saw a change come over Edward. I was reminded of the first time I had met James, Laurent, and Victoria. When I had first seen them come into clearing, they were crouched over; then, upon seeing the erect posture of the other vampires, they had straightened. Edward did the same, except in reverse. His shoulder dropped, his body becoming even more lithe and graceful, distinctly feline. A scowl tranformed his beautiful face into something terrifying, and I saw him sniff the air again.

Was it just that he was no longer conciously trying to ingore the lure of the blood? Was it a choice he made to dart off in the direction of the caribou herd, as if he couldn't wait another moment?

The look in his eyes--that dazed, uncontrolled want--did it cause that low growl to come deep from his chest?

Another growl broke the trance and I turned my attention to Irina. She looked, if possible, even more wild than Edward. Her predatory black eyes followed my every movement. I backed away slowly, recalling earlier conversations.

_She's making me hungry..._

_You still have human blood..._

Did I still smell like prey to her?

Then she growled again and darted after Edward. I heard high keening sounds from ahead, and the sound of something wet being ripped. There was no way for me to pretend that I didn't know what those sounds meant.

I fell to my knees. The smell of blood was overpowering now. Rust and salt. Rust and salt. But instead of curling my stomach into intricate, painful ribbons, the smell affected me in a far more horrifying way.

Though I knew that venom moistened my mouth, it didn't seem to matter now. I remembered this feeling: thirst. I remember waking in my bed at three in the morning, my mouth so dry that it ached. The aching feeling was like fire now.

Was it a concious choice to stop ignoring the thirst? I didn't know. But I felt no desire to run after the others, to rip into the Caribou. I felt only thirst, only desire. And then, when I opened my eyes, I saw something in front of me.

It looked like a young fawn. Instead of the scruffy long fur of the adults, its fur was as short and soft-looking as velvet. It poked its head out from between a few snowy branches, curiousity in its large, watery eyes. I locked my eyes on it. I couldn't look away.

I watched it come closer, and still I didn't look away. There was no intelligence in its eyes--it looked dazed. I imagined what it saw: a humanoid creature with skin as white as snow, dressed in a man's t-shirt and regular blue jeans, totally oblivious to the cold. It moved closer, and I watched it.

Its furry nose touched the hand I held out to it, sniffing my skin. I drew in a breath of my own and the scent of its blood flooded my system once more. My hand clamped shut on its head and I yanked it toward me. Its legs crumpled, its delicate body falling against mine.

It. Yes, this fawn was nothing. It was only my prey.

My teeth sank easily into its fur-covered neck. The blood flowed across my tongue, but I was surprised to find that it wasn't sweet. I knew I wanted it, needed it, but it did not taste as I had expected it to. I spit it out. As if waking from a dream, I looked at the defenseless creature I held in my arms. The ragged hole my teeth had made was gushing crimson liquid over my clothing and the snow.

"Bella?" It was Edward. His clothing was clean, and his eyes were the brightest gold I had ever seen them. His eyes were wide and frightened, and he quickly came toward me, throwing the animal carcass away from me and wrapping his arms around my body.

"Edward, it wasn't right," I mumbled into his ear.

"Shh, it's all right," he soothed, holding me tighter. I was startled by Irina's voice.

"Did she drink?"

Edward pulled back slightly to ask me the question himself, but I answered before he could.

"No. It didn't taste gross, exactly, but it just...it wasn't right"

Irina chuckled softly. "That's why most vampires prefer humans over animals. Human blood...it feels as if you could never stop drinking. With animals, you almost have to force yourself." I watched Edward shoot her a glare.

"Bella?" he asked again. There was confusion in his eyes as he searched my face.

His repetition of my name was making me nervous. "What's wrong?" I asked.

He looked at me for another long moment before burying his face in my neck. "You are amazing," he said softly. "I should have guessed."

"What is it?"

He pulled back to look at me. "You're not in shock. Just like Port Angeles. You accept it so easily."

I smiled at him. So he was surprised that I wasn't screaming? I pulled myself to my feet, finding it so much easier to do than when I had been human.

"Eleazar!" Irina called. The tall vampire appeared moments later. Like the others, his attire was clean, free of even a drop of blood. Insanely, I wondered if they would think of me as the messy eater from here on.

"Is she...?" he asked, looking at my ruined clothing.

"No, she didn't drink," Irina said, only shrugging at his puzzled expression. The beautiful vampire's smile was back in place.

I watched in fascination as Eleazar came nearer to me, his eyes searching my body, and then he turned away. I looked down, wondering just how badly I was covered in blood, but I gasped aloud as I saw that my clothes were spotless.

"W-what? But..." I sputtered like a wet hen. Eleazar went over to the fawn's corpse and turned his somber eyes upon it, and then, suddenly, there was no corpse. Only untouched snow.

"How?"

"Illusion," he said, with a smile that made all traces of his similarity to Jabob Black vanish and never return.

XXXXXX

"So how does his gift work?" I asked Irina. We were back at the home of the Denali vampires. Edward and I, along with Alice and Irina, sat in the living room. I didn't know where the others had disappeared to, but I assumed that Carlisle and Esme were catching up with Carmen and Eleazar elsewhere in the house. I wondered if Eleazar had a study similar to Carlisle's.

"As a human, Eleazar was a gypsy magician. His tricks were so grand that he attracted a vampire who wanted Eleazar to become his slave and perform for him whenever he pleased. One night the vampire got so hungry that he attacked Eleazar. He stopped himself before he killed him, horrified at what he had done to his favorite human, but the damage was irreparable. Eleazar became a vampire."

"And his ability to make things disappear from sight was the trait that was amplified?" I guessed. I had discovered that Eleazar had only made the blood invisible, not completely gotten rid of it. I had needed to change clothes because I still smelled the fawn's blood.

Irina nodded. "Eleazar can make anything disappear, but he can't create the illusion of something that wasn't there to begin with."

"That's one reason they can live here in Denali," Edward interjected. "Surely you've noticed that the sky isn't as cloudy as Forks? Eleazar uses his gift to disguise their skin so that it won't sparkle."

"Why Alaska, then? If he can do that, he would be able to live in Phoenix if he wanted to."

I watched as Edward glanced quickly at Irina. I didn't understand his expression. I noticed that Alice was carefully avoiding looking in my direction.

Irina had no such qualms. "We need to stay here in Denali because of Kate."

I looked at Edward again, noticing that his jaw was clenched tightly. "What do you mean?" I asked.

Alice answered. "Kate has a gift as well, but hers is far more powerful than Eleazar's."

"Kate is the one you have to watch out for. She may look innocent, but _please_, be careful around her," Irina said. The pleading, serious tone of her voice surprised me. I was absolutely speechless. I saw Edward flinch, though, and somehow I knew he had been dreading this conversation. Without warning, the mood of the room had changed to somber.

"I actually don't think we have to worry about that with Bella," Alice stated quietly.

"Why not?"

"Bella is...special. She has a very private mind. Those gifts that require access to the mind, such as Edward's or Aro's, don't affect her."

She looked skeptical, but inclined to believe. "Does yours work?"

"Yes, mine and Jasper's both work quite well, as ours have no bearing upon her mind."

"I'm not sure whether or not Kate's gift deals with the mind," she said to Alice. "If Jasper's power works on Bella, then, since Kate's is so similar to his, hers might work as well."

Edward turned to Irina. I could see that he was beginning to get desperate. I wondered what could possibly be so dangerous about Kate that he was this worried. "But Bella will be okay as long as you stay near her, right? Kate listens to you."

We heard a laugh from the doorway and turned to see Tanya standing there. "I think you've got it backwards there, honey."

Irina glared at the redhead vampire, but shook her head at Edward nonetheless. "Kate is like a child. She obeys when she feels like it."

Tanya came into the room, sitting next to Alice on the couch, stretching to the point where her tight shirt rode dangerously high on her stomach. It seemed as though I was the only one who noticed this. Edward's expression was near panic in response to Irina's news.

I hated seeing him look so defeated. I found my voice at last and said, "Is she really that bad?"

Edward turned to me suddenly, his arms encircling the tops of my arms in an unbreakable grip. He looked in my eyes as if searching for something. His fierce gaze scared me. "Edward?"

He didn't let me go. His eyes scanned over my face. The worst part of his expression was the uncertainty--the fear. Edward looked absolutely terrified of whatever he saw (or didn't see) in my face.

"Calm yourself, Edward. We would know if Kate had used her gift."

Edward's sigh of relief released a wave of sweetness in my face. He clutched me to him, burying his face in my neck. He spoke to the others over my shoulder, using a low, threatening voice. "You might be content in living with someone like Kate, but I won't tolerate her existence if she does _anything_ to Bella."

"Understood."

"I mean it. The slightest hint that anything is wrong, and I will kill her."

"You don't have to worry about it." We all turned to the source of the voice. Kate, dressed in a pretty lavender sundress despite the weather, stood in the doorway as if she had been there all along. "I've already tried. You're right--it doesn't work."

Edward was incensed by this confusing comment, and I was suddenly worried for this vampire, because he looked as if he wanted to strangle her. But she held up a hand to stop him.

"I just wanted to see if I could. I attempted nothing more than the test when I first met _you_, Edward. Your experience with my gift wasn't so bad." A small giggle escaped her lips, and she put a slender hand to her mouth to stop it. "Oh, that's right. You don't remember." She twirled gracefully and left, ignoring Edward's murderous glare.

"What can she do?" I demanded.

Edward didn't answer me--he seemed too angry to do so. It was Tanya who spoke. "Her gift is the highest form of manipulation."

I frowned. "I don't understand."

"I hope that you never do."

**XXXXXX**

**I think I remember hearing something about Alaska having six months of light and six months of darkness, so I think that's the real reason Meyer chose for them to live in Denali. **

**Next chapter, the vampires go to a diner! Why? Find out soon! (Hehe, gotta find some way to keep you guys coming back for more.) **


	10. Discovery

"It's been an hour. I think we should go after her. Do you remember what happened last time she disappeared?" Tanya said pointedly. For unclear reasons, she was glaring at Edward—though I could find nothing wrong.

Edward noticed her dirty looks, but he refused to meet her eyes. He acted as if it didn't bother him, but I could tell from the tense way he held me that it did. This confused me even more.

"She's a big girl," Carmen said dismissively. She wasn't nearly as contentious as I had thought earlier. Once I'd made it obvious that only Edward could hold my attention, she became friendlier. I sat next to her on the long couch, with Edward on my other side, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist as I leaned my head back against his shoulder.

"I'm more worried about the humans."

"I will go," Eleazar said, standing up. Carmen didn't look too happy about it, but I could tell she didn't plan to argue.

He left quickly, and the others in the room began talking, catching up on news of the past month. I was amazed on how much could happen in such a short time. Alice told in detail the story of our little Shakespearean misunderstanding. She was a good story-teller, eliciting shocked gasps and squeaks of fright in all the appropriate places.

Tanya, Irina, and Carmen wanted to know all about my experience with the werewolves, having never come into contact with any. I was nervous speaking in front of so many people, but the three women made an easy audience, and I soon loosened up. Edward's comforting presence didn't hurt, either.

When I mentioned Victoria, I caught Carmen's sly glance toward Esme, and I knew that they would talk about I later—probably when Eleazar got back and they could make plans to 'deal' with the menace. As the mother figures of their respective covens, I wasn't surprised that Esme and Carmen were very close.

As the conversation relaxed to speculations of the future and everyday, normal chatter, I was given more of a chance to observe the others, and what I found what strange.

My vampire eyes picked up so many small details that I never paid attention to before. After spending less than a day around the Denali coven, I had picked up subtle hints of character.

A slightly flared nostril from Tanya, for example, told me that she disagreed with something. An almost imperceptible squinting of Irina's eyes predicted a question about to form.

And those vampires I had known more than a year, such as Alice and Carlisle, were more transparent than ever. Alice always wore her heart on her sleeve, even then, but now her spur of the moment actions didn't catch me by surprise. Carlisle's warm smile seemed to spread to his very posture.

And Edward…his was the most noticeable change.

I had always seen certain emotions in his eyes: love, anger, amusement. Those intensified, until not only did I saw the anger, but it seemed I felt it as well.

He hadn't brought it up yet—I was sure he would, when we had some time alone—but our connection to each other seemed to me to be what was amplified when I changed to a vampire.

Alice claimed that my gift was acceptance. Perhaps that was partly true, for it certainly was strange that I could think about something other than blood. But I knew that a large part of who I had been as a human was _my love for Edward_.

If my conversion hadn't amplified that, then I had doubts as to the theory in general.

It had taken me a while to notice it. Waking up (if you could call it that) after the transformation had distracted me. So had the hunting trip, and the strange turn of events that led me to believe Kate wouldn't make as good a friend as I had thought she might. I was pretty sure she was a 'bad influence' according to vampire standards—and that terrified me.

But now that Kate was absent, and I could spend some time in Edward's arms and just relax, I began to pick up on certain…anomalies.

For instance, I was fairly certain that it was not me thinking, _If Kate plans to tell Bella, then I don't know what I can do. I'll just have to tell her the truth._

And I was definitely certain that what I felt radiating from Edward was not heat, as it should have been, but nervousness. I could feel his emotion.

And I had to admit, this was way better than the gift of acceptance.

The thoughts were quiet, barely whispers. I needed to concentrate in order to hear, but when I wasn't paying attention, I noticed a faint buzzing on the periphery. I remember Edward telling me that was what the voices were to him—noise in the background until he focused. I was surprised I hadn't noticed it right away, until I realized that it had indeed been there all along, and I had just mistaken the sound for heat circulating through the air.

That made me feel ridiculous. I could just imagine telling Edward that I mistook his thoughts for circumvention. I was glad _he_ still couldn't read _my_ thoughts.

I only seemed to be able to hear his thoughts while I was touching his skin—I tested this on the sly—and the emotion was also barely distinguishable, but I had heard both Edward's and Jasper's abilities described often enough to know that I wasn't crazy. Edward reminded me often that I was uncreative, so I knew that it wasn't just my imagination.

The entire time that I was listening to the playful banter between the reunited covens, I was wondering if Edward knew. I was thinking of interesting ways to break it to him.

Oh, yes, this was going to be fun.

Just as I was considering a method of trickery to get Edward alone, Eleazar came back…without Kate. He took a long look at all the vampires assembled and then promptly fell to the ground.

Carmen growled. I didn't need my new perception of body language in order to tell that she was furious.

**

* * *

**

**A/N:** Heh, I decided I didn't like Bella's gift much (I wanted something I could use throughout the whole story, and acceptance was really just so that she wouldn't be crazy with bloodlust), so I decided to add something else. Sneaky, huh? I hope it was smooth enough not to make the story all stupid. Since I haven't updated in forever, I decided to put the diner scene in the next chapter. As compensation for both the delay and Bella's freakishly sudden switch of gift, I'll give you a hint and say that you'll get to see Kate's power in action next chapter.

Begging: Review, pretty please with a cherry on top? Not convincing enough? Then how about pretty please with an Edward on top? Come on, now how can you resist?


	11. Vision

"Showoff," Tanya snorted, rolling her eyes. Irina quickly came forward to pick Eleazar up from the ground, sparing Tanya the briefest scathing glance. Though her movements showed concern, and though Carmen continued to growl, none of the assembled vampires were panicked.

Which I must admit I found odd…because Eleazar had just collapsed on the ground, and as far as I knew, collapsing was something vampires didn't do.

As Irina pulled him to his feet, I saw that he was thankfully uninjured. He blinked several times before he finally focused on us. He looked surprised to see us there, but the expression quickly shifted to tired reluctance. "She chose the theatrical approach, I assume?"

"Yes." Tanya rolled her eyes again. "I say we send Bella."

"_Absolutely not,_" Edward said through gritted teeth. His chest was pressed so closely against my back that I felt more than heard his words.

Carlisle agreed with him, offering Tanya a polite, but very firm, shake of his head. "That would be a bad idea."

The person I heard most clearly, whose voice stood out among the others' protests, was Jasper. "Alice?"

Everyone else seemed to hear as well, because I wasn't the only one to follow Jasper's concerned look straight to Alice.

She was frozen, her eyes wide and her lips parted in a small O of surprise as she saw something in her head that none of us could see.

None of us, that is, besides Edward and I.

I had never realized that Edward was able to see Alice's visions through reading her mind, yet the pictures surfaced one after the other. They were hazy, insubstantial—certainly not what I had expected—but there was no mistaking what I saw there.

"Alice?" Carlisle asked uncertainly. She remained frozen, although I knew, through my connection to Edward, that the powerful visions had ended. Edward was no longer prying into her mind, and I instead felt his flurry of thought as he rapidly calculated.

"Alice?" Jasper placed a hand on the side of her face, and slowly, Alice's jeweled eyes swiveled to rest on his.

"We don't have much time," Edward said. He turned to me, to ask me the question, but I already knew what it was.

"Yes. Just tell me how to get there."

I saw the confusion on his face, felt the indecision, but he knew as well as I did that there was no time for this.

"We can still make it if we leave now," Edward said, standing and pulling me to my feet, immediately wrapping his arms around my shoulders. He wanted to hold me as much as possible while he still could, because soon he would have to let me go.

"What is it?" Tanya demanded.

"We have company coming."

* * *

We drove to a little out-of-place diner near the interstate exit. We all went—strength in numbers—but I would be the only one to go inside.

We parked sloppily, in our haste taking up four spaces between our two cars, and I ran inside, only remembering to slow my pace seconds before a human saw.

Where was she? My vampire eyes couldn't distinguish her from the other faces in the crowd, and I couldn't use my nose…couldn't even breathe, because there was no way to predict how I might behave around humans.

So I focused entirely on the sounds permeating the air: the gentle clink of forks on plates, the sizzle of eggs in butter, the gnashing of teeth as humans devoured their food. And although I had once enjoyed food, I now found the whole process to be revolting. I was relieved when I finally picked up a conversation coming from a booth at the very back of the diner.

"So, what's your name?"

"Katrina." Yes, that was Kate. A vampire's voice was unmistakable. I moved as quickly as I could without arousing suspicion, but when I finally caught sight of Kate, I saw that she had a guest at her table.

A human guest. What was she _doing_?

I needed to get her out of here—we all needed to be together and back at the house when our visitors arrived—but the man was an unexpected complication. I couldn't go up to Kate and drag her away when he was sitting right there.

He suddenly blinked, shook his head as if to clear it, and peered at her. "Hey, isn't Katrina the name of that storm that killed a bunch of people?"

She pouted. "No."

He was instantly contrite. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or anything." It was then that I noticed his words were slurred. Funny…there was no alcoholic beverage in front of him.

Kate smiled coyly at him, dipping her head and looking up from under her long eyelashes. She didn't say anything in response, merely placed a slender hand on his knee. He looked down at it, grinning stupidly.

My jaw dropped as she leaned forward to capture his mouth with hers.

I ducked around the corner, leaning against the wall in disbelief. Then I squeezed my eyes shut for good measure. No. It couldn't be. That just wasn't possible, was it?

But her eyes were _gold_!

Needing to see this for myself to make sure, I stuck my head around the partition again, confused when the man was nowhere to be seen. Kate was still smiling that dangerous, amused smile, but this time she was looking directly at me. She held up one hand and curled her fingers, indicating that I should come forward.

Disgruntled, I straightened and walked to her with as much dignity as I could muster having just crouched behind a partition spying on her. I stood before her table, unable to hide my discomfort. She gestured to the chair that the man had sat in, still smiling. It felt rude to stand, so I took my seat opposite her with reluctance.

Despite the urgency of this situation, I somehow felt an absurd need for tact.

"How did you know I was here?" I looked everywhere but at her eyes. They were gold, of course…just as I had thought.

Her chiming giggle made me jump. "You were hardly inconspicuous." She leaned back in her chair, draping one long leg over the other as she regarded me with amused speculation. "So they sent you to fetch me, since you're immune?"

Honesty: the best policy for humans and vampires alike. "Yes, and we need to leave right away. Trouble's coming."

She laughed, carefree. "Oh, yay. Exciting."

"No. Not exciting. Werewolves are on their way, and they're not very happy."

* * *

AN: Since this was my first fanfic, I expected a lukewarm reaction--but 120 reviews seems pretty darn good to me! It makes me feel so amazing and honored and I just want to say thank you. I hope you keep reading, because it doesn't look like it's going to end anytime soon. (I'm just now starting to get to some conflict!) Please continue to review, even if it's just to let me know that you're still reading? 


	12. Explanation

AN: Sorry about the last chapter; it wasn't meant to be as confusing as it was. I hadn't updated in a long time, and I needed to get _something_ up, so I took a nice long conversation between Bella and Kate—a very deliberate demonstration and explanation of Kate's power—and shortened it into what it was. There is a reason for this, though. They never would have let Bella around humans if it weren't an emergency, so there needed to be a sense of urgency; and anyway, it was about time I added some actual conflict to the story. So I now present to you chapter twelve, with the other half of Kate's explanation. Do enjoy!

Oh, and I made a mistake! Three cars, not two. How the heck did I think they could all fit in two cars?

* * *

I frowned. They had told me on the way here that this would be difficult. "They'll be here soon, and we all need to be back at the house. Alice says the outcome doesn't look good unless we're all together at the house."

Her eyebrows rose. "Alice, huh?"

I nodded, hopeful that this would convince her. Instead, she only laughed again.

"Well, if _Alice_ says so, then of _course_ it must be true." Her words were heavily sarcastic, but she stood anyway, linking her arm in mine. We walked out of the diner together, and she followed me—practically led me—to the car with Edward, Alice, and Carlisle.

I slid into the back seat first, so that I could sit next to Edward, and Kate slid in after me and closed the door.

Carlisle started the car with barely a glance at Kate, and we were speeding back to the house with no delay.

"Why are you afraid of me, Bella? It's not like I can do anything to you," Kate asked in a sugar-sweet voice.

"Would you, if you could?" I wondered aloud, though I didn't think I really wanted to know the answer.

"Of course."

I didn't doubt her at all. She would do it just because she could. Just like she had told Edward.

Edward growled low in his chest, but Kate laughed at this, too.

* * *

When we were back at the house, and the others were making preparations, I grabbed Edward by his shirt and dragged him into one of the bedrooms. He looked surprised, especially when I turned on him and demanded, "Tell me what Kate's power is."

"Bella…"

"I _need_ to know." He could no longer keep things like this from me, because I no longer need to be protected. He saw that too, and sat on the edge of the bed, motioning that I should do the same.

He took a deep breath and said, "She can control people. Completely."

I frowned. "What do you mean…completely?"

He didn't look like he wanted to tell me, but he seemed to have made up his mind that he was going to. "She can dictate your every move."

I didn't pause to marvel at how that was possible. "Even vampires?"

He nodded solemnly. "The worst part of it is that you don't even know you're being controlled. They're really _your_ thoughts—at least, you think they are. She can completely influence your every move and you won't feel invaded at all." He ran a hand through his bronze hair. "It's hard sometimes to tell whether you're doing something because you want to, or because she wants you to. Do you understand how terrifying that is? Not knowing if you can trust yourself around her?"

Yes, I did understand. It had nothing to do with my newfound ability to read his mind and emotions, because I wasn't touching his skin at all. I saw the pleading look in his eyes, that look that conveyed more than what was said. I had seen that same look once before, when it seemed like he was asking my permission to fall off the wagon.

Right now, he was asking my permission again. He was asking for my understanding, my forgiveness, in case something happened. Even if not consciously, that was the meaning in his eyes. And I heard every word he didn't say, and I asked him what he couldn't voice himself: "How do you know you aren't being controlled right now?"

He looked away, because although I could ask the question, he couldn't answer it. His reaction was answer enough.

"What did Kate do to you?"

He sighed. This was the question he had wanted to avoid. "I don't know. She thinks it's funny that we never know. Something that I did—something that I did completely of my own volition—was really not my choice at all, and I'll never know what it was."

He face was like glass—I could see the honestly there. So why had he been so afraid to tell me? I knew there was more to it, but I left it alone for now, promising myself that I would return to it later. "Then why are you friends? You've always spoken of the Denali coven with such fondness. Why do you keep coming back here?"

"That's how manipulative she can be," he said, and left it at that.

My next question was interrupted by a high-pitched keening noise. Though it was outside, and some way off, my ears picked it up without trouble. It might as well have been in the next room.

Edward and I both snapped to attention, sparing each other a brief glance that said we would continue this later. If there _was_ a later.

Think happy thoughts, Bella.

Alice came in the room, motioning to us that we should gather in the front room, so that all of us could be together. This herd mentality would protect us, as the werewolves could pick off anyone who was alone.

I winced. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to compare the werewolves to a pack and ourselves to herd. That dynamic never ended positively.

There were several moments of tense silence before the voice of Sam Uley, the alpha male, rang out. "We're sending in someone to negotiate."

Carlisle glanced at Alice. She looked like she wanted to tell us something, but she couldn't—not with the werewolves so near. They would be able to hear her. She could only nod or shake her head. Edward suddenly tensed, so it was safe to assume he knew the warning as well.

Slowly, with a look of warning in her eyes, she nodded.

Carlisle spoke up, "Yes, send someone in."

We heard the slow crunch of footsteps, steadily gaining in volume, before there was a knock on the door. Alice pointed at me, and eventually every eye in the room focused on me.

They wanted me to open the door.

I cautiously crept to the door, mindful that everyone inside and outside were listening to my steps with intent ears. I looked back once more—I couldn't help it—and was greeted with the encouraging nods and tight, forced smiles of those who were nervous. I took a deep, though unnecessary, breath, and pulled the door open.

I was greeted with a familiar face and a relieved smile. "Hey, Bells."

My mouth dropped open. "_Dad_?"

* * *

AN: For those of you who wonder what Kate did to Edward, it isn't mentioned in this story, but I'll tell you what it is: his rebellion. I'll be writing another multi-chapter fic after I'm finished with this one, detailing the incident. It will be written from Edward's perspective, so with his mind-reading ability you'll get snippets of Kate's point of view as well. Be on the lookout for **God**. I might have to rate it M because of the violence (which I think is stupid, because if I'm 16 and can write it, then I would think you guys could handle reading it with no problem) and the genre will be horror/angst.

Reviews make me super happy! And they make me write faster! (Yes, this is bribery.)

Is it just me, or this story going downhill? You guys still interested?


	13. Charlie

Of all the people I had expected, Charlie was not one of them. I had heard the footsteps approach the house, heard their weight and the lack of grace. I had known the negotiator was human, but I had thought it would be Emily.

I had not expected my father.

His face twisted in nervousness, his eyes flickering behind me to the other vampires gathered. He was obviously waiting for me to say something.

I couldn't speak. After the initial shock and disbelief, a thickness had set in around the back of my head, right behind my eyes. It was the familiar feeling of anger, the sort that usually showed itself with humiliating tears.

But vampires could not cry.

Instead, my face contorted into an expression to match my fury, and Charlie, my own father, shrank back in fear. "JACOB! YOU _BASTARD_!" I felt Emmett's hands encircling my wrists before I became aware that I was trying to surge forward, out the door and into the night; into the waiting arms of the werewolves.

I screamed, "How could you do this to him?"

I stopped struggling, if only for the fact that I had no chance whatsoever of prying myself from Emmett's strong grip, new vampire or not.

"Bella," Charlie pleaded, and the ache in his voice tore my heart into pieces. What was he seeing? A monster? What had they told him?

"Calm down, Bella," Jasper soothed. I felt his hand on my shoulder, and I was enveloped with a hazy cloud that dulled my emotions. I tore away.

"No!" I snapped. My eyes searched for Edward and found him. He knew what I wanted before I even asked, and Emmett willingly turned me over into his arms. Edward was my calming influence—I didn't need Jasper's ability with him touching me.

"Jacob," I said, quieter now, though I knew he could still hear me. "Come in here right now. You have our word that we won't hurt you." I heard Tanya begin to protest, but she was silenced by Edward's growl, and I continued. "You won't be harmed. I need to speak to you."

I didn't expect him to come—didn't expect Sam or the others to let him—but he stood in the open doorway two minutes later.

He looked different, and I honestly didn't know if it was because he had physically changed or if my vampire eyes saw new details of his appearance that had gone previously undetected. His hair was glossier, shinier, though it had been kept short. He was even larger, more graceful: I could see his fluid, catlike movement even in the way he stood motionless just behind Charlie. His face had lost all traces of friendliness, every soft curve that made his face warm. His face was full of hard planes and sharp features, just as inhuman as a vampire's countenance.

I hadn't seen him in weeks, ever since that brief exchange in the woods next to my house, where he reminded Edward of the treaty.

"Come to collect on your threat?" I challenged. "Eleven against five…or is it six now? Has Quil turned yet?"

His face fell at my stab, so out of character for me. It was like he couldn't believe I would stoop that low. I could barely believe myself, as I knew that it was a sore subject for him. "You really have changed." His lack of outright denial told me that we were indeed up against six werewolves.

"Not as much as you think. I'm still the same person—but _you_! How could you do this? You brought Charlie here. Do you know how much you've put his life in danger?"

"Can't you control your thirst long enough to talk to him?" He looked disgusted, but like he had expected it. It made me realize exactly how depraved this situation was—the werewolves had been prepared for me to kill Charlie to sate my thirst. That would have given them motivation to attack us. A new wave of anger crashed over me.

"I could have, if I weren't able to resist it," I snarled. Thank goodness that I had the gift of acceptance, or I would have killed my own father! "When did you become such a willing murderer, Jacob? I thought you liked Charlie!"

Jacob remained calm. When had he become so good at controlling his anger? "He wanted to see you. We couldn't stop him."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure. Charlie overpowered you and ran right out here to be the negotiator, right?" I injected as much sarcasm as possible into my voice.

"I'm still standing right here, you know," Charlie added with sarcasm of his own. He was utterly ignored.

Jacob looked speechless for several moments. "You need to know the whole story!" he choked out.

"Then be my guest. Tell me why you would do this to him."

"Am I invisible?" Charlie cried.

"Don't try to blame this on me, Bella. You _left_ him. You abandoned your father to become a vampire, and Victoria was _mad_. She knew she would never get to you, never get revenge for what your _family—_he spit the word—had done to her mate, and she decided to take it out on Charlie instead."

My eyes widened, and I looked to him. He didn't look hurt, but how could I know it hadn't healed? I did rapid calculations in my mind—a week…I'd only been gone for six days. That wasn't long enough to recover from serious injuries.

Charlie nodded to confirm this, and I knew that Jacob wasn't lying.

"So you saved him?" I guessed, breathing a sigh of relief even as I did so. How strange that the knowledge was comforting. Even though I saw that Charlie was alive and well before me, it pleased me to know with certainty that it had been Jacob who saved him.

I needed to stop thinking of Jacob this way. He was my enemy now.

"Yes. The only way we knew how. He saw us, Bella. We had to tell him."

"Even about me?" It hurt me to say it, because by doing so, it said that I never planned to tell him. I saw the understanding in my father's eyes, and focused my full attention on Jacob in an effort to escape from his betrayed expression.

"Victoria said something about the Cullens before she got away. His heart, Bella. We couldn't not tell him. The stress, it—"

"And you didn't think telling him that his only child was a vampire would stress him?"

"He's strong, like you. He took it surprisingly well."

I scowled at Jacob, furious at his ignorance. Charlie tried to run interference by putting himself in front of Jacob, forcing me to look at him.

"I was just happy I would be able to see you again. I'd already dealt with the existence of vampires. I just wanted to _see_ you again, Bella."

"Charlie, you don't understand," Edward told him. "This isn't as innocuous as it seems. There are people…other vampires, who won't let you live."

There was dead silence as they processed this news.

Alice spoke up, her voice grim. "No human can know about us. There are enforcers of this rule. They even threatened to kill Bella if she wasn't turned into a vampire."

"Is that why you…?"

"_No_, Dad." My voice was harder than I intended—how could he truly believe I would do that to him? "It was an accident. I wasn't going to leave you like that, without saying goodbye. We were going to wait until I graduated, or until Edward and I got married."

"Until she graduated, because she wasn't going to marry me," Edward clarified, hearing more than anyone else. Even I noticed Charlie's reaction to the word 'married.' I entwined my fingers with Edward's.

"That's right," I soothed. "I wasn't going to leave until after graduation."

I felt Edward stiffen as he read the thought behind Jacob's speculative look, and a whisper made its way across my mind: _Why didn't she want to?_

I quickly spoke. "So why are you here? The truce ended when Edward bit me and stole me away…even though it was an accident. Did you come here prepared for a war? _Why_? And why bring Charlie?"

"The pact said that the Cullens could live in Forks. As long as they didn't bite humans and stayed off of Quileute land, we would stay on our own land and not tell the pale faces about them." He breathed deeply. When he exhaled, I almost gagged at the disgusting scent of his breath. "It's true that the Cullens no longer live in Forks, but Victoria has become a problem, and we need your help."

"Why do you need our help? One vampire against—how many? Six werewolves? Surely it isn't _that_ difficult," Rosalie piped up. It was the first time I recalled her speaking in my presence since I had become a vampire.

Jacob scowled. "Of course not." He looked squarely at me. "She has friends."

There was silence as we digested the implications of this. All of us who knew of the Volturi looked to each other, and I could see the confusion of Jacob and Charlie as they watched our anxious exchange of glances. They knew something was wrong just by the silence in the room.

It was Kate who broke through the tense atmosphere with a shrill, insane giggle. "Oh, _fun_."

**Please review!**


	14. Nightmare

**Remember that this story is part horror.**

* * *

To me, Rosalie had never seemed like the most patient person. She'd always been too perfect to think much of anything besides herself; I recognized that she could not be free of arrogance. Even Edward, in his own way, knew the extent of his beauty and sometimes used it to his advantage. He was so used to things coming easily to him that he got frustrated when a bit more effort was required—being unable to read my mind, for example. Rosalie struck me as feeling the same way, but where Edward had seemingly endless patience, being an eternal creature didn't seem to afford Rosalie the same trait.

Even the way Rosalie spoke, with overly formal, flowery wording, hinted that she was extremely conscious of herself, constantly focusing on how she was appearing to others. It was somehow not genuine. I knew she had no problem in expressing disapproval for others; she had made it quite clear she disliked me while I was human, and since I'd turned, she had barely spoken a word to me. But I expected her to consistently keep that recently discovered mask of politeness with everyone she disliked, no matter the severity of her disdain.

So when she lost all of her composure and snapped at Kate, telling her to shut up and be serious, I was caught halfway between shock and relief that the bomb had finally exploded.

I didn't understand the reactions of the others. Kate looked at Rosalie, her large eyes narrowing, her full lips pressing together. That wasn't surprising.

But the others, all of the vampires, looked fearful, nervous, before their expressions were abruptly cleared.

Rosalie bowed her head and said, "I am terribly sorry, Katrina. That was absolutely uncalled for." The display of humility confused me, and I looked to Edward for some explanation, but he wasn't looking at me; instead, he was completely absorbed by the exchange.

Katrina reached out to grip her hand, offering her forgiveness, and Rosalie smiled at her gratefully.

It seemed I was the only one who found this odd. I looked at the others, who acted as if nothing had happened. Emmett had resumed his distrustful glaring aimed at Jacob, my father continued to curiously examine the assembled vampires, and Rosalie had sat down in her previous seat on the sofa, smoothing down her shiny blonde hair as if her appearance was the only thing in the world that mattered to her.

"What was that?" I blurted out.

Edward's brow furrowed. "What was what, exactly?" I wordlessly gestured to Kate, and then to him, but he still didn't catch on.

Then it suddenly occurred to me what Tanya had meant when she said that Kate's gift was the highest form of manipulation. Edward had further explained her power, her ability to control people so effectively that they didn't realize they were being controlled, but nothing so far had made it as perfectly clear as this did. This was way beyond the abilities of those hypnotists who could make people believe they were ducks.

When someone defied Kate, she made them passive. This was why the Denali coven still accepted her despite her manipulation. I suddenly felt sick. I was sure impervious vampires weren't affected by nausea, but this was different…I was so abhorrently disgusted that I felt a sickness of the soul.

But the others were as calm as could be, considering they were in close proximity of their enemies—except none of them, werewolf, human, or vampire, actively realized that the danger lie not in each other, but in the honey-blond vampire smiling sweetly at me like she knew exactly what I was thinking.

"We should leave," Jacob said, breaking the short silence that had seemed so long to me. "I think it's best that Charlie remain with us for the time being." I immediately opened my mouth to protest, the threat of Kate momentarily forgotten—Jacob still wasn't entirely convinced that I wouldn't hurt Charlie. But Edward laid a hand on my arm and turned me to face him, shaking his head. Jacob saw Edward's agreement, and with a slight twitch of his temple, continued; "It would be safer. We promise we will allow nothing to happen to him. When you've decided on what you'd like to do, you can send Bella, and Bella alone, to this address. Think of it as an act of faith, just like when I came in here alone."

"But the others are outside, I'm sure," Carlisle stated quietly.

Jacob nodded. "Yes, and we don't mind if you follow her, but we don't want you all to come inside. I'm sure you understand."

* * *

Once we were sure the werewolves had left, the others launched into a flurry of quick arguments, so rapid that I could barely keep up.

"They could still mean us harm."

"The real threat is the Volturi."

"We can't let the human live, he's a liability."

"We can turn him."

"No, not Charlie!" I piped up, but no one paid attention to me. I didn't even know who had made the suggestion, and the multiple conversations going in the room made it impossible to keep track of what everyone was saying.

The danger that Alice had foreseen didn't seem to add up—for some unexplainable reason, just like it had in Forks when she hadn't seen Jake pull me from the water, Alice hadn't seen that the werewolves didn't mean us any harm, and we had assumed that they were here to attack us. None of us could figure out why.

And then, suddenly and without warning, the speculations halted. The quiet caught me off guard, and I immediately looked to Edward, wondering what it was that I had missed. Did they sense danger? Was the Volturi near, and had I not noticed because I had been so recently turned?

I was met by that familiar blank expression on every face I looked at, except Kate's.

She tilted her head, analyzing me as I backed up, putting myself in front of Edward as if that would somehow release him from her hold. She laughed quietly. "Well…that's annoying."

I looked around at the others, and jumped when they all stood up as one and filed into the next room.

"Why did are leaving?" I asked her.

"Because I wanted them to." She smiled at me. "I don't want you to be distracted. We need to talk, Bella."

I cautiously lowered myself into a seat. "About what?"

She sighed dramatically. "I can foresee problems arising from this immunity of yours. It's in your best interest to stay out of my way."

She stopped to think for a moment and revised her statement. "Or rather, it would be in Edward's best interest, and Alice's, and Jasper's. I think you know where I'm going here."

Unfortunately. I nodded.

She laughed at my pained expression; "And don't bother bringing this up, because they won't remember it. They remember very few of the things I do to them, only enough to know that they should be afraid."

I gritted my teeth. I was not a violent person; becoming a vampire hadn't changed that, but the notion that anyone could be so evil…it was infuriating. I could barely control myself, but I knew that I had to because I was powerless against her. Even as a human, staring at the Volturi as they decided whether or not to let me live, searching for Edward and hoping I wouldn't be too late to save him, waiting for James to come in for the killing bite—in none of those instances had I ever felt as helpless as I did now, with no choice but to allow Kate's continued control. I spoke through a clenched jaw; "And what will happen when the Volturi comes for Charlie?"

She shrugged. It was ridiculous how child-like she looked, swinging her legs back and forth on the ornate high-backed chair, hands on the seat of the chair and her shoulders hunched forward.

"Will you…help us?" It was so difficult to ask her, but I knew that with her assistance we couldn't lose him.

"I don't know. I've waited a long time to meet the Volturi. I wouldn't want to offend them." Another insane grin flashed across her face, ruining the image of innocence for a moment. "I don't think you have the right to ask me for any more favors. I've done enough for you."

"What do you mean?" I demanded. I gulped; my salivary glands were on overdrive due to my uneasiness. Correction: my venom glands.

She splayed her hand out in front of her, examining her nails. "I'm the only reason you got your Edward back, you know." Her eyes flickered upwards to rest on mine, and the pretense had completely disappeared. Her expression was dark and demanding. "You should thank me."

My stomach gave another disgusted lurch, not sure of what she meant. "Thank you, Kate."

I was relieved when she brightened at this, going on with her explanation now that she knew I was grateful—eager to explain her deeds and receive credit. "I was the only one in the room when Alice had her premonition. She saw you fall into the water, and she saw Jacob pull you out. She told me what happened. I convinced her that she had actually seen you drown. I am, however, pleased to say that she made the decision to go to Forks all on her own. Of course, first I firmly implanted in her mind the belief that she couldn't foresee the actions of werewolves."

I merely sat and listened in a horrified silence. When Alice had come to visit me, Jacob had shown up and she hadn't predicted his arrival. Just because of a notion that Kate had planted in her head. Kate mistook my stunned look for one of awe.

"And Rosalie, as well. She _is_ horrid, but she lacks the bravery to make any significant change in her family dynamic. She's a coward. She never would have called Edward on her own—afraid the others would be _mad_ at her." She scoffed, looking to me as if expecting me to laugh. I could only stare.

"Your actions almost got Edward killed."

"Yes, I know. Oops," Kate giggled. "It all worked out in the end." She looked to the door. "I think it's time I brought the others back in, don't you? They need to decide what they're going to do." She snickered at this, and I knew that she had already decided for them. That was the tragedy of her gift, that, like with the persuasive speech of Mark Antony, she could convince others that they were deciding for themselves.

* * *

It was relatively quick and painless. For them. My heart broke to see them sort out the details of the plan, knowing the whole time that this meeting was contrived. Kate could skip this and make them believe that they'd already had this discussion, but she wanted me to see the extent of her power, to see that there was nothing I could do.

"So it's settled then," Carlisle said at last, gaze moving from face to face and pausing only momentarily when he saw my troubled visage.

"I don't like it," Edward said, looking at me with worry. I tried to return his affectionate gaze, but I wasn't sure if it was him or Kate. I couldn't trust _anything_ anymore, and that was the most terrifying part of all. He was the most important thing to me, and she could take him away with no more effort than it took to blink her eyes.

Carlisle tried to reassure him. "Alice can tell us if they're planning anything." He looked to Alice for confirmation, but she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but for some reason I can't see what they'll do."

Kate snorted. "Yes you can."

Alice nodded complacently. "Yes, I can."

"Good, then we'll wait a bit to look ahead, and then we'll send Bella to the werewolves."

Edward wrapped a comforting arm around my waist, but I could only stare at Kate. She winked at me.

* * *

**Ooooh, creepy...**

**Why haven't I updated in two months? I don't have a good excuse. I don't even have a bad excuse. Sorry; I just didn't have a clue how to continue, but I've got an outline for the ending now so the next update should only take a week or two.**

**I have pictures of the Denali Coven on my deviantart account. You can find a link in my profile. The only ones I'm really satisfied with are Irina and Tanya, though. The others kind of suck. And the pictures are yellow because I photographed them due to my lack of scanner.**

**Thanks for the reviews, everybody!**


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